Re: Trying to fix an Apple II...

[Patrick Schaefer <pa.schaefer@fz-juelich.de>]

Rubywand wrote:

>      My experience with A2 clones is just about zero. Perhaps someone here knows
> more about a clone which displays "COMPUTER" upon start up.

About 70 percent of the Apple II compatible systems sold in Europe were
clones. The most popular ones were 

a) 48k main board (like Rev.7 non-RFI) with lowercase character
generator and eight slots

b) 64k board with additional Z80A cpu. Lowercase, six expansion slots,
one ROM slot. This is a IIplus with language card and CP/M card.

c) IIe clone. Something between the Super II prototype and the old NTSC
Rev.A (with the aux slot on the left, not in the middle). There was a
connector for the regular ASCII keyboard. Only a few of these were
sold,  Apple won the lawsuit.

Besides that there were a few special systems available, for example the
IBS 19" rackmount systems or the Basis 108.


The name APPLE ][ was protected by copyright law, this was the reason
why many clones used startup messages like HELLO or just COMPUTER.

The taiwan clones were sold as mainboard only, in a Apple-style
typewriter case and in the pc-like metal box with separate keyboard.
Two  keyboard models were popular. One is a drop-in replacement for the
][plus keyboard, but with auto-repeat and function keys (press FN-C to
get the string CATALOG typed); the other one is somewhat bigger and has
a numerical keypad, like the IIgs keyboard.
Taiwan power supplies usually have the same physical size as the
original one, but two or three times the strength (5V, 5A or 7.5A
instead of 2.5A).



>      If it lets you enter upper and lower case, it is likely to be at least an
> early IIe clone. If it lets you run "128k" software and double-hires games (like
> King's Quest) in 16 colors, it is an enhanced IIe clone.

All clones let you enter lower case. A //e clone should have MMU and IOU
chips and an auxiliary slot with 60 pins.


Patrick